[titanic]

I read somewhere that all the New Beetles are manufactured from the Peubla plant in Mexico. But are there any beetles made elsewhere in the world? How do I check the country of origin?

 

[macdave]

I'm pretty sure that they all come from Mexico, and are shipped all over the world.

 

[Fowvay]

The first letter of your vin number tells you where the car was manufactured.

Digit 1 - Country
Digit 2 - Make
Digit 3 - Vehicle Type
Digit 4 - Others
Digit 5 - Line
Digit 6 - Series
Digit 7 - Body
Digit 8 - Engine
Digit 9 - Check Digit
Digit 10 - Model Year
Digit 11 - Plant
Digits 12-17 - Serial Number

http://www.autohausaz.com/vw-auto-parts/vw-vehicle-identification-numbers.html

 

[Pulgamovil]

I think that the only bugs NOT made in Mexico are the prototypes, the show cars and the original concepts, even the mighty RSI was assembled in Mexico (by a German/Mexican team)

 

[titanic]

I think that the only bugs NOT made in Mexico are the prototypes, the show cars and the original concepts, even the mighty RSI was assembled in Mexico (by a German/Mexican team)

My sales kept saying that they import direct from Germany. So I am a little confused whether it is actually assembled in Germany.

 

[tdibugman]

Nope, 100% Hecho en Mexico.

It doesn't matter; the same robots are being used around the world to build them.

 

[Pulgamovil]

I also thought taht the RSI was German made, well the RSI serialized road car (250) were made in Puebla with some parts made in the assy line and the rest hand assembled by a MEX/GER team.

Some Bugs made for the Cup series in Europe were assembled of some parts in Germany, but these are not road going cars...hope that clears the confusion...

 

[paulalves]

Made in Mexico by German robots. Sounds like a Tom Clancy novel...

 

[Deserion]

The NBC's roof assembly is made in Germany by the Wilhelm Karmann Koachwerks in Osnabruck.

-Des

 

[The Cheat]

New Beetles are made in Mexico for our consumption, and Germany for Europeans.

 

[Deserion]

New Beetles are made in Mexico for our consumption, and Germany for Europeans.

Maybe that was true for the late Mk3 Golf Cabby, but for the NB, all are assembled in Mexico. The Puebla plant is the only one in the world that makes NBs.

-Des

 

[EVZBUG]

Deserion's right. The reason for this is that the North American market is the main market for the New Beetle, and it wasn't cost-effective for them to assemble them in Germany, too. Hella, the famous European headlight company even has a factory next to the plant--if you look at say my '97 Jetta's tail lights, they say, "Hella Mexico" on them. VW of Mexico assembles VWs to the same standards as the VWs made in Germany. Top Gear or Car (one of those British mags) wrote an article on the plant back in 1998 during the release of the New Beetle. A college friend of mine went to Puebla in 2000 for a junior year foreign studies program through our school, and took a tour of the factory. He snuck his digital camera into the plant. That was when they were still making the classic air-cooled Bug alongside the NB. How much trouble will I get in if I post a couple of pics? Stay tuned...I have to get them off of my ancient Power Mac (pre-iMac) that I had throughout college and get them onto my current computer.